Rudolf eickemeyer



@nitrltatrs strut @frn RUDOLF EIOKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGN-OR TO EIOKE- MEYER HAT-BLOGKING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 72,726, dated December 31, 1867.

olvtitt rtetultrefemh in in tigers ttttirs prima mit mating putt if tige time.

TO ALL'WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, RUDOLF EICKEMEYER, of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester, und State oi New York, have -invented certain Improvements in Means'for Blocking and Shaping Fur and Wool Hat-Bodies; and I dahercby declare that the following is a full and correct description thereoi`,reference being had tox the annexed drawings, and t0 the letters of reference thereon.

My said improvements are applicable to the machine for blocking and stretching hats described and shown i in Letters Patent of the' United States granted to George Osterheld and Rudolf Eickemeyer, on the 3d day of Apri-1866.

My said invention consists, first, in the employment of steam within the banding-shell,in combination with the banding-shell during the operation of stretchingand blocking, substantially as herein described, whereby the operation of shaping and blocking is greatly facilitated; second, in combining with a banding-shell, or series of banding-shells, a valve controlling the steam-passage thereto, and. a connection with the vibrating-frame or someothcr part of the machine, which moves in unison with thevclamping-plates, whereby the valve is automaticully oponcd to admit steam within the banding-shellin use when-the clampingplates have closedupontbe brim,`and commence to draw the side crown andntop over the banding-shell, and is held open until the block has risen to its highest point within the shell, or nearly so, substantially as hereinafter described; third, in an arrangement and combination`oi` a series of banding-shells of diifcrent sizes upon a wheel which turns upon a horizontal axis above the clamping-plates, and is provided with a suitable lockingumechanism, the whole substantially as hereinafter described, and for the purpose of rapidly shifting the shells tov suit diierent sizes of hats, the operator having only to release the .wheel fro'm'the locking-mechanism, when he desires to change the size ofthe shell, turn the wheel of shells vuntil the required shell comes in place over the, clamping-plates, vand tiren lock it in position to operate with the clamping-'rings and 4block; fourth, in theurrangement of separate stenmpassages, one'l'eading from within each oftheshells through the wheel to its bearing-in combination with a steam-passage through the horizontal shaft or axis, on which the wheel of shells turns to shift the shells, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby the steampassage through the shaft communicates only with-the steam-passage leading to the shell, that is, in place for use, and is shut oit` from the others. Butinforder to more particularly destribe my invention, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, which represent the con'- struetion and operation of shaping and blocking-machine with my present improvements.

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of the machine, partly in section.

Figure 2, a front view of the same.

Figures 3', 4, and 5, detached views, partly in section, representing Athe banding-shell, banding-ring, hatblock, and parts of the'clampin'g-plates in different positions, toillustrate different stages ot'V their operation; iig. 5 also showing section of hollow shaft, steam-ways, and wheel of shells.

Figure 6 is a plan ofthe lower clamping-plate and banding-ring.

Figure 7, detached view of adjustable crank connection.

The frame of the machine consists of two sides frames, a a, framed together by the cross-plates al a2, and u tiel-od, a3. The plate a2 is made in the form of a shallow annular trough, to catch water that may come from the parts above in the operation of blocking. In the middle of the -cross-plates al a2 are bossesv cast on the' plates, through which holes are bored to serve ns guides for the round vertical reciprocating lifting-rod or spindle, a4, theupper end of which issecured to the hat-block carrier, a5 by a flanged circular plate or disk of metal. The upper end of the lifting-rod extends through the hat-bloek Icarrier, and projects a little abovethe same, so that it may enter a hole in thc centre ofthe bottom of the removable hat-block b, and serve as a guide in placing the same, and also to keep it in place.v The hat-block b is made of wood, as usual, and round or oval, of the different varieties of shapes and sizes used by hatters, that are suitable to the operation of this machine. Within the frame ofthe machine, and near the sides, are two round vertical lifting-rods, c al, one on `each side of the hat-block, and in the plane of the hat-block lifting-rod. These liftinguods move up and down' `throughv guide-holes, bored through bosses cast on the cross-'plates a1 di', at the opposite ends thereof, and are further provided with guidc-holes in the stationary horizontal shaft d, at the top ofv the machine, up through which these pass. These lifting-rods are moved simultaneously up and down in the .operation of the machine, for the purpose of lifting ,up theclamping er holding-plates e e, their downward motionbeing duo to gravity.

These clamping-plates are for the purpose of clamping or holding the hat-body by the brim during the opcration of stretching and blocking, and each have circular openings concentric with the hatblock, and have holes at each side` through which their lifting-,rods c cl pass freely. The lower plate e has a dat upper surface, on

v which are inscribed concentric circles x x, iig. 6, to enable the operator to place the brim of the hat-body upon it concentrically with the block. The circular opening of this plate is flanged orirebated to receive this bandingring e?, which forms the band or angle between the side crown and tip. Bonding-rings of different internal diameters must be provided corresponding tothe different sizes and shapes of hats required. The one used must -exceed by about one-quarter of an inch in its interior diameter the required size of the exterior of the lower part of the banding-shell. The upper holding-plate e has a central opening, somewhat larger than the exterior diameter ofthe stretching or banding-shells, andjis made lieavy enough to produce suiciont pressure to-hold the brim of the hat-body between it andthe banding-ring during the stretching and blocking-operation. When not lifted up by the rising ofthe lower holding-plate, the upper holding-plate rests upon lugs projecting inward from the side frames. Just below the lower l1oldingplate is an adjustable collar, e, upon each of the liftingrods, by which the holding-plates are lifted. j i

Motion is communicated to the hat-block lifting-rod a', by a crunk, It, in the middle of the crank-shaft 7i, through thc connecting-rod It', and vibrating-levers ha h, which latter are coupled together and jointed at one end to the lifting-rod, and at thepther end toan adjustable arm, h, projecting upward from a rocking-frame, 7L, which rocks on a cross-shaft, h, at thel rear of the nachine near the foot. The crank-shaft is driven from the driving-pulley z', which revolves on a stud, projecting from the side of the frame, through the pinion fast to the pulley, a spur-wheel, 1., and p inion`,,,fast to the rotating shaft i5 and spur-wheel i6, fast to the crankshaft. Motion is communicated tothe two lifting-rods c el, which lift the holding-plates, by an adjustable crunk, j, through :a connecting-rod, 7'1, and vibrating-frame?, which latter is jointed at-the sides of the yoke in front by pins to the adjustable collars 7'" 73,/which arefasttoihe lifting-rods, and also jointed at the rear end to the upright rocking-pillars .743, Ywhich are themselves pi'voted and rock on the projecting ends of the stationary shaftjfon each side of the frame at the rear near the foot. The adjustable connection between the connectingrod and vibrating-lever frame shown in iig.'7, is used to raise and lower the lever-frame for the purpose of adjusting it to raise the holding or clamping-plates high enough to stretch the hat-body over the banding-shell, but should the set-screw Ic, .whichoperates on the bearing of the pin lc on the connecting-rod for that purpose, not be sutiieient to stretch the hat completely out, then the collars a, upon the-lifting-rods c o, are to be shifted up, to make up whatever more motion is wanted. The upward motions of' the hat-block and holding-plates `must be so timed that the holding'plates have risen to the fullextent'of their motion, and drawn the hat-body over 'the banding-shell, when the hat-block begins toenter the shell, and the crank is therefore made adjustable to accommodate different heights of hat-blocks, by means of a concentric slot, shown in dotted lines, iig. 7, in the one of the two sectors composing the crank, which is fast to the crank-shaft, and a coupling-bolt and nut, which connects it with the sector, which is loose on the' crank-shaft, and which carries the crank-pin.

So'far, the machine Vis substantially the same as that described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent to Osterheld and Eiekemeyer. I will now proceed to describe the present improvements.

For the purpose of rapidly shifting the banding-shell in use for one of a dierent required size, I secure a series of, say, six banding-shells, m m2 m3 m* m5 'm6, radially to the periphery of a hexagonal wheel, n, which turns on a hearing, nl, in the middle of the horizontal shaft d. These banding-shells are thin metal cups, cylindrioal'or oval,v as required, and they are of as much larger interior diameter than the hat-blocks to'be used with each ot' them respectively as the thickness of the hat-body, in order to admit it between them. They should, for ordinary use, hc adapted te be used with blocks of the sizes known as 62, 6%, 7, 7%, 71, 7%, and have the sizes marked on them. The hubs of the wheel shouldl be bored, and fitted accurately to the bearing on the stationary shaft on which it turns, because this bearing is also used as a steam-cock or valve, through which steaml'is let on and shut off from the banding-shells. The bearing must therefore be steam-tight, or nearly so. 'lfhe wheel is kept in a central position on the horizontal shaft UZ by the shoulder n2 on one side,`and on the other side by the hub of an arm, n3, which arm holds the spring-*catch n, used to lock the wheel in position, when any one of thehending-shclls is brought vertically over the hat-block and concentric with it, there being six or as many notches on the side of the wheel as there are banding-shells, placed so that one notch will be engaged with the spring-catch whenever a banding-shell is in position to operato with the machine. To 4shift from one- `size Vshell` to another, it is only necessary to release th spring-catch, and turn the wheel of shells by hand until Y the required shell comes over the hat-block, when its exact position is determined by the locking-catch engaging with the appropriate notch.

This part of my invention is not necessarily connected with the use of steam in the banding-shells, the

convenience oi' shifting the shells being the same whether the steam be used or not. The use of steam is, hou-,

ever,lof great advantage, whether one or a series of bnnding-shells be used, as it softens the hat-body, which, beforeblocking, is sti'encd with size or shcllac, in a manner well known to batters, and thereby facilitates the operation of orcrstrctching and blocking. The steam, also, by pressing on the hat-body while the block is entering andl rising in the shell, lays the tip square upon the block smoothly and evenly. l

In order to introduce steam to any one ofthe shells when it is brought in position to operate with the block, there are six radial steam-pussugesA in the wheel, one foreach banding-shell, two of them, ppl, being shown in fig. 5. These passages extend from within the banding-shell to the cylindrical bearing n, on the stationary horizontal shaft d, and when any one of the shells is in position to operate, the other ve are cnt o` from the steam by the surface of the bearing n, and the steam-passage of the shell used communicates with the steampassage p3 in the horizontal shaft, which passes from the bottom of the bearing a upward, `and then through the shaft d, to the end of the same, at the side of the machine, being chambered around the guide-hole for the lifting-rod c. On the end of the shaft is screwed a hollow cap, r, which forms a sort of steam-chest, into which steam is admitted by a pipenl, shown broken oli', but to be connected withla steam-boiler or pipe, containing steam under pressure. A waste-pipe, r2, is shown broken off in the drawing, but, in practice, is to be carried down to the door, or away from the machine, in any suitable direction, to conduct the water of condensation from the valve-chest, and should be provided with a stop-cock, to close it when not required to be open.

In order to prevent the steam from passing into the shell, except at the time when it is required in the operation of stretching and blocking, the vibrating-lever frame (which operates the holding-plates) also gives motion to the valve s, through the connecting-rod el and the arm s?, fast to the horizontal spindle s3 ofthe valve. The valve sis an ordinary shut-off disk, valve, or. gate, the steam-way through it being a. hole through the plate, whichis so placed by the adjustment of the parts'as to coincide suficiently with the steam-passage it controls, when the hat-body begins to be drawn over the branding-shell, as to permit steam to pass into the shell, and continue to pass, until the hat-block has reached its highest elevation within the shell, or thereabouts, when the hole having turned awayvfrom the steain-passagefthe steam is ,cut off by the valve until another hat-body commences to be drawn over the banding-shell.

This part of my invention does not necessarily involve the use of a series of bandingshells mounted upon a wheel, although it is adapted thereto in the organization of the machine. The series of shells and Wheel may be dispensed with, and a single shell attached directly to the horizontal shaft (which in that case would have to be lowered) by a hollow-screw fastening, such as is used to attach the banding-shells to the wheel; and this construction would preserve all the advantages of the use of the s'team in the operation of blocking.

The operation ot' the machine is as follows: The parts being properly adjusted and in position, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, a hat-body that has been-previously pulled out or stretched inthe brim and tip by hand or machinery, as practised by hatters, and moistcned by stcam or hot water, is placed on the lower holding or clamping-plate, with the tip pointing upward, and the machine being in motion, the lower holding-plate rises with thehat-body until the upper holding-plate is reached, when they both rise together, holding the hat-body by the brim between lthem until the tip and crown of the hat-body are turned inside out and stretched over the banding-shell, and the band formed by the banding-ring. The hat-block has by this time reached the tip of the hat-body, which is somewhat distended downwards from the middle 'part of the banding-shell by the stcam and water of condensation, and commences to 'press upon the tip, carrying it up into the shell, and the holdingplates, having commenced their'downward motion., lower the brim of the hat-body, as required', by the raising of the hat block within the shell, which thus receives the hat-body, by turning the crown right-side out around the edges of the shell, in mannerreprcsentcd in the illustrations, figs. 3, '4, and 5. When the hat-,block has attained the highest elevation, and begun to descend, the rods c c are moving `faster. than the hat-block, and,'conse qucntly, the holding-plates, being free to rise on the lifting-rods, are detained by resting onythe hat-block carrier, and move down with it, the upper plate stopping when it reaches the lugs, and the lower plate continuing to move down with the hat and block until (the range of motion ot' the hat-block being greater than that ofthe lower holding-plate) it overtakes and rests upon the collars of their lifters, the hat-block carrier moving further d own below. The hat-block being held tight by the body, and merely resting on the hat-block carrier,'(not being held in any manner to the carrier by the centre-pin, which only serves as a centring and steady-pin is taken od' with thebody as soon as the brim and block are free from the uppcrholding-plate; and if not'desiroble to immediately remove it from the blocked hat, another block is placed upon the hat-block carrier and another hat-body on the lower holding-plate, and the operation of blocking and shaping repeated as often as desired, without stopping the machine.

I claim- 1. Introducing steam withi'nthe bandingshell during the operation of stretching and blocking the hati body, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In combination with a banding-shell, ora, series of banding-shells, a valve controlling the ste'amfpassage thereto, connected with and moved from the vibrating-frame or some other part of themachine, which moves in unison with the holding-plates, substantially as described, whereby the valve is automatically opened to admit steam within the banding-shell during the operation of stretching and blocking,and closed at other times to prevent the waste oi' steam.

3. The combination and arrangement of a series of banding-shells upon a wheel provided with a lockingmechanism, and organized with respect to the hat-block and holding-plates, substantially as described, whereby the operator can readily shift the shells to correspond with required changes of size of hats, substantially as set forth. f y

4.' The arrangement and combination of the separate steam-passages from the banding-shells through thc wheel, with the bearing and steam-passage through the horizontal shaft on which the wheeloi` shells turns, substantially as described, whereby the steam is cut oli` from all the banding-shells of the series except the /one which is in the proper place to co-operate with the hat-block and holding-plates.

R. EICKEMEYER.

Witnesses:

F. C. TnEADwnLL, Jr., JonN J. BARNETT. 

